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Mary Kom triumphs in Haikou

May 12th, 2011 / IBA

India’s five-times AIBA World Champion and the living legend of women’s boxing Chungneijang Hmangte Mary Kom claimed the gold medal at the historic 1st Asian Women’s Cup in Haikou, China over the weekend, where the four best women’s boxers of the continent in each weight classes were invited by the ASBC.

Mary Kom’s original weight class was the 46kg but since the number of the divisions was reduced to ten last year the Indian superstar has moved up to 48kg. She took her first title in the new division at the World Championships in Bridgetown last year and competed in the 16th Asian Games at 51kg in view of the forthcoming Olympic Games.

On her opening contest in Haikou Mary Kom eliminated AIBA Women’s World Championships bronze medalist Alice Kate Aparri of Philippines by a close 11:8 and advanced to the final where she had a hard battle against North Korea’s Kim Myong Sim but won out by 4:3.

Two-time AIBA World Champion and Asian Games winner Ren Cancan of China also had two hard battles in Haikou. The Chinese star took a narrow victory over Thailand’s Asian Indoor Games winner Peamwilai Laopeam in the semi-final and had an unexpectedly close fight against Japan’s Aya Shinmoto in the flyweight gold medal contest.

North Korea’s AIBA Women’s World Championships silver medalist Kim Hye Song won the bantamweight final against Kazakhstan’s defending Asian Champion Zhaina Shekerbekova by 7:4 to take the gold medal. The Philippines’ great hope 19-year-old Nesthy Petecio claimed only a bronze medal after losing her semi-final against the Kazakh athlete in Haikou.

Thailand’s AIBA Women’s World Championships bronze medalist Tassamelee Thongjan caused a huge surprise in the semi-final where she eliminated two-time World Champion Yun Kum Ju of North Korea. At the gold medal contest Thongjan defeated India’s Ramilal Pavitra and acquired the only gold for Thailand.

China’s two-time World Championships silver medalist Cheng Dong almost missed the final before the local spectators against Neetu Chahal but managed to beat her Indian rival thanks to a great last round. Following that narrow victory Cheng Dong hammered Chinese Taipei’s Su Wen Hsien in the lightweight final and secured the home team’s second gold.

North Korea’s Pak Kyong Ok put in an amazing performance to triumph over defending Asian Champion Saida Khasenova of Kazakhstan and then stopped China’s Yang Qinqin in the light welterweight final.

Only two boxers competed for the final victory at welterweight, where China acquired its third gold medal. The host nation’s No. 1 welterweight Yang Tingting defeated Kazakhstan’s Yelena Koltsova in a great contest that saw an incredible number of punches exchanged on both sides.

Former AIBA Women’s World Champion and Asian Games winner Li Jinzi of China is only 21 but has won all of the main boxing events with the exception of the Olympic Games. At the historic event in Haikou she won against Kavita Goyat by a narrow 5:4 in the semi-final and then defeated Mongolia’s Asian Games silver medalist Erdenesoyol Undram in the middleweight final.

At the 6th AIBA Women’s World Championships China’s Wang Yanrui was defeated by Kazakhstan’s Asian Champion Marina Volnova in the semi-final. But the result was the opposite in Haikou where the young Chinese boxer won their heavyweight re-match by accepted scores.

Turkish Prime Ministry Tournament winner Yulduz Mamatkulova of Kazakhstan stopped Jordan’s Randa Abdelkhaleg in the first round of their semi-final contest but the 24-year-old Central Asian boxer was defeated by China’s Li Yunfei by 9:6 in the super heavyweight class final where the host nation achieved its fifth gold medal.